Past travelers were in awe of Punalu'u and said there was plenty of free ... or after a visit to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, as the beach sits about 35 miles south of the national park.

This is "not your regular beach," according to Asquith. "This secluded stretch of sand is completely black," he said. "Caused by crushed volcanic rock particles and ash over millions of years ...

Since the beach is just a 20-minute drive from Volcanoes National Park, you can combine the two ... on the Big Island of Hawaii, a visit to Punalu'u is a truly memorable Hawaiian experience ...